Artist Spotlight || Kno/Why

Get to know rising star Kno/Why in this week’s Artist Spotlight!

Washington-based DJ and music producer Kno/Why moves crowds with an intense, innovative twist on hip hop and electronic sounds. A masterful mix of all genres makes this artist highly versatile, from the underground rave scene to sophisticated clubs and upscale venues. Having grown from humble roots in the hip-hop scene, Kno/Why found an enlightening balance between creativity and intelligence in rap lyricism.

Crafting personalized beats for his music rapidly expanded into a career in music production and sound engineering. You can catch his signature sound in clubs from Seattle to Portland. Follow the movement to live and chase your dreams with Kno/Why. Listen to his exclusive guest mix below and read on for our chat with this rising star in the bass music scene!

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 085 || Kno/Why on Mixcloud:

Where did the name Kno/Why stem from, is there a story behind how the name came to be?

While growing up, I was so curious about the world, I always wanted to know more. So my primary question to everything was why? I wanted to know more, especially when it came to music. Then it finally hit me one night. I was outside of a club before my set and someone asked my buddy why I was headlining that night. And his response was, “you’ll know why.” Once I heard that I just picked it up and ran with it, I mean it matches my personality and it can be used as a clever slogan.

What led you to start producing electronic music, and who are some of your influences as an artist?

I grew up playing in bands and making Hip Hop beats. So once I discovered electronic music around 15 years old, I just fell in love and became obsessed to start writing it myself. Some artist’s and bands that I really look up to that influence my music are Alexisonfire, Bassnectar, Anderson.Paak, Buku, Aryay, and Slipknot.

You’ve released some quality tunes this year like “Move”, “Grimey”, and most recently “Why Girls Twerk”. How has the production progression gone for each release?

Yea! “Grimey” was fun, that was a collab I did with my buddy Party Ave. He and I did another tune called Alcatraz, it’s a super heavy hybrid riddim track. “Move” was fun too, I did the vocals on it so it was fun making and manipulating the vocals for it. And furthermore, “Why Girls Twerk”, I think, is my best work yet. I wanted to experiment and make a new hybrid twerk sound, and I think I nailed it with this piece.

Since beginning your journey as a producer, what has been your biggest struggle so far?

Having the right tools to make whats in my head. I have ideas all the time, but getting it into my DAW is another journey. Or if I have a specific sound in my head and can’t figure out how to make it or find a synth similar to it. I’ll stay up for days trying to create it. Sound design is everything to me. I can hear a sound and it will spark a whole tune in my head. But without those sounds or the know how to create them, I sometimes go weeks without being able to write a tune because I don’t have the right inspiring sounds.

Are there any artists you’d love to collaborate on a track or go b2b with during a set?

I would love to collab with Buku, RL Grime, and Ray Volpe. That would be nuts.

The bass music scene in the Pacific Northwest is renowned for its diversity and unique sound. What do you feel contributes to that and why do you love your local scene?

The Northwest is poppin’ right now. There are so many events that provide different types of electronic and bass music. It’s insane. And I feel like the northwest is generating a specific sound/genre right now too. People up here are just super creativity and no matter what sound you are trying to hear, there is always an event going on where you can go to hear it. It’s awesome. The Northwest holds so much talent. And

The Northwest holds so much talent and that’s what I love so much about the scene up here, The amount of talent we have up here is so inspiring. Everyone up here pushes each other to be more and become better at their craft. The scene up here is very open and welcoming, Ive been shown nothing but love ever since I’ve entered it.

Where is a “dream venue” you’d like to play in the future?

Anywhere in Italy, or underwater in a huge shark aquarium…That would be rad.

If you could only pick three artists from any genre to listen to for the rest of your life, who would they be and why?

Alexisonfire, they have been my favorite band since I was 12 years old and helped me get through the toughest times of my life and provide a huge inspiration to my music. Army Of The Pharos, because their lyrics are so raw, powerful and insightful. Their music has always touched my heartstrings ha. And lastly Oddisee, He’s a great producer and lyricists and I never get tired of his stuff.

https://soundcloud.com/knowhy/grimey-ft-party-ave

Do you have any upcoming gigs we can catch you at or any fresh releases to check out?

I’m playing the biggest show of my career at the beginning of November, The show hasn’t been released to the public yet so I can’t say much, But what I can say is that it will be in Seattle and a well known EDM club. I’m also talking to Rico Act right now about a collab that we have going on, so that’s going to be wicked. And I’m looking to release a new melodic dubstep track here in the next week or so named “Space Day”, so be sure to look out for that!